Canning Berries - Whole
Blackberries, blueberries, currants, dewberries, elderberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, loganberries, mulberries, raspberries.
Quantity: An average of 12 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 8 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A 24-quart crate weighs 36 pounds and yields 18 to 24 quarts - an average of 1-3/4 pounds per quart.
Quality: Choose ripe, sweet berries with uniform color.
Procedure: Wash 1 or 2 quarts of berries at a time. Drain, cap, and stem if necessary. For gooseberries, snip off heads and tails with scissors. Prepare and boil preferred syrup , if desired. Add 1/2
cup syrup, juice, or water to each clean jar.
Hot pack -- For blueberries, currants, elderberries, gooseberries, and huckleberries. Heat berries in boiling water for 30 seconds and drain. Fill jars and cover with hot juice, leaving 1/2-inch
headspace.
Raw pack -- Fill jars with any of the raw berries, shaking down gently while filling. Cover with hot syrup, juice, or water, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.
Processing directions for canning berries in a boiling-water, a dial, or a weighted-gauge canner are given in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.
| Table 1. Recommended process time for Berries, whole in a boiling-water
canner. |
|
Process Time at Altitudes of |
| Style of Pack |
Jar Size |
0 - 1,000 ft |
1,001 - 3,000 ft |
3,001 - 6,000 ft |
Above 6,000 ft |
| Hot |
Pints or Quarts |
15 min |
20 |
20 |
25 |
| Raw |
Pints Quarts |
15 20 |
20 25 |
20 30 |
25 35 |
| Table 2. Process Times for Some Acid Foods in a Dial-Gauge Pressure
Canner. |
|
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of |
| Style of Pack |
Jar Size |
Process Time (Min) |
0 - 2,000 ft |
2,001 - 4,000 ft |
4,001 - 6,000 ft |
6,001 - 8,000 ft |
| Hot |
Pints or Quarts |
8 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
| Raw |
Pints Quarts |
8 10 |
6 6 |
7 7 |
8 8 |
9 9 |
| Table 3. Process Times for Some Acid Foods in a Weighted-Gauge Pressure
Canner. |
|
Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of |
| Style of Pack |
Jar Size |
Process Time (Min) |
0 - 1,000 ft |
Above 1,000 ft |
| Hot |
Pints or Quarts |
8 |
5 |
10 |
| Raw |
Pints Quarts |
8 10 |
5 5 |
10 10 |
|
|